More On Companion Gardening and Resources To Help.
Wednesday, January 14, 2009

Posted in Serenity Garden

I added some great books above for those who are interested in companion gardening.  These books are by far THE BEST resources to aide with your gardening plans.

LETTUCE 
Lettuce aids onions, grows well with strawberries, cucumbers, and carrots, and is good to pair up with both carrots and radishes (the three grown together). Radishes grown with lettuce in summer are particularly succulent. / Lettuce is a chummy vegetable. It grows well with beets and cabbage (three together). Interplant it with French Marigolds.

CUCUMBERS 
Cucumbers are offensive to racoons and is good to plant with corn for this reason (as a side note, so are pumpkins - apparently the raccoons like to be able to look around when they eat, and the large pumpkin leaves and pumpkins prevent them from doing this). Corn protects the cucumbers from the virus that causes wilt. Thin strips of cucumber repels ants. Cucumbers like beans, peas, radishes, and sunflower. Radishes protect against cucumber beetles - do not harvest the radishes, remove only after removing the cucumber. Cucumbers dislike potatoes and aromatic herbs. / They like paired vegetables such as lettuce and bush beans or lettuce and radishes.

SPINACH 
Spinach is a useful pre-crop and does well planted with strawberries. / Spinach puts out a exudate that stimulates other vegetables such as cabbage. 

SQUASH 
As with cucumbers, 2 or 3 radishes will help repel insects. Nasturtiums repel squash bugs, and so will cigareette ash and other tobacco residue if planted with the seed when it is planted. Squash planted either earlier or later than ususal often will escape insect damage. / Squash & Pumpkins: Likes to grow among corn plants, provides a good ground cover for corn, holding the moisture in the soil (as an aside, I remember hearing about the Native American Trinity which is to plant pumpkin, corn and pole beans together, at the same time). Good companions are beans, mint and radishes. Nasturtiumsm protect summer squash (like zucchini) from aphids. 

MUSTARD GREENS 
Grows well with salsify.

SWISS CHARD 
Is very flexible and grows well nearly everywhere.

RUTABEGA 
Turnips and Rutabagas: they are mutually helpful. Turnips are helpful to a number of other vegetables including the cabbage family. 

WOODCHUCKS 
Spray the plants they are nibbling on with a mixture of water and pepper.  Recommendations are  fencing the garden with a chicken wire fence greater than 18" high, also with a "skirt" 12" long bent under the soil (so the woodchuck cannot dig under the fence). Also recommend making sure all corners & etc are secure as animals are very ingenious. 

 Happy Gardening Everyone!

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*** Compatible Companions For Vegetable Gardens That Deter Pests ***
Tuesday, January 13, 2009

Posted in Serenity Garden

Compatible companions for vegetable gardens

-          plant basil by the tomatoes

-         Artemisias-(known as mugwort or wormwood)plant near cabbages to deter cabbage butterflies

-         Horseradish-plant near potatoes for more disease resistant tubers. Use roots in dishes. 

-         Chamomile-acts as a tonic to ailing plants. Good as tea.

-         Calendula or Marigold-attracts hoverflies (good bug) which eat aphids. Good as tea or for cracked skin and chapped lips. (You can eat the marigolds - I prefer the flavor of Aztec Type II.) 

-         Planting garlic with roses makes the roses more aromatic.

-         Nasturtiums are a slug and snail trap, making it easy to find and remove them (and you can eat both the leaves and the flowers. I prefer the flavor of Alaskan).

-         Many harmful insects don't like smelly herbs

-         Tomatoes and carrots thrive together.

-         Celery repels white cabbage butterflies if planted near cauliflower. 

-         Onions and leeks repel carrot flies. 

-         Tomatoes don't like potatoes or fennel. Garlic planted with tomatoes will repel red spider mites, and does well with chives, onion, parsley, marigold, nasturtium and carrots. Tomatoes will protect roses from black spot. Don't plant tomatoes near corn or young apricot trees. 

-         Cabbage (and the cabbage family) does poorly if planted with tomatoes, strawberries or pole beans. 

-         Sweet peppers do well with basil and okra.

-         Broccoli does well with potatoes, beets, onions, and other members of the cabbage family. 

-         Potatoes do well with peas, beans, cabbage, corn, or strawberries. They're especially helped by peas. They don't like cucumbers or tomatoes. 

-         Carrots don't like potatoes, but they do well with chives, peas, leaf lettuce, onions, red radishes, and tomatoes. 

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2009 - A bitter Sweet Growing Season
Saturday, December 27, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

Hello Dear Friends!

As I look out this morning, I see rain, melting snow and warm weather.  Can you believe it?  Snow storms to very warm weather. The ducks are LOVING this weather!  What a blessing to enjoy the weekend with my husband and later, a day with our brother and sister in law before they head back to TENN.

As I look out at what used to be our small lazagna garden this past spring/fall, I wonder what God has planned for us this growing season.

You see, we have been looking for a modest home to buy, preferably in the country, in order to start a focus on adding to our family through Foster-to-adopt and/or regular adoption.  We have already been blessed with a crib, bunk beds and hanging draw chests for childrens rooms.  As I look at my life throughout the past 8 years, I see how God has abundantly worked in our lives.  Not just "giving" us things, but offering us more of Him and reaching out to us not just during trials, but during the joyous moments in our lives.  During a hard time just over 2 years ago, He gave us recourses to learn basic financial principals through Dave Ramsey's Financial Peace University.  We learned to live on just 9.00 an hour while my husband interned full time, worked full time and went to school full time.  He took me from a pretty good paying job and gave me the new one of "Homemaker" and "Wife".  Even though I had no children to care for, my husband needed me so. 

It was those times we grew where we were planted.  This season in our lives has grown so much just by using the wisdom from what we went through during the "valley".

A contrast to all of this, is now we're back to the unknown.  Yesterday I received my seed catologs in the mail.  Unsure if I should purchase any seeds for Spring planting.  Our lease is up in April and we are contimplating moving to my wonderful inlaws once again while we shop for our home.  Growing tomatoes and peppers may be something I would do for them because I always give them tomatoes and heard my father in law speak of nice colored bell peppers this year. 

What I AM hoping to do is order seeds for fall planting with hopes we won't be too late to plant in our "new" home for fall.

Anyone have any idea of some good hardy veggies and maybe fruits that would be good to grow in the fall season for winter here in Central NY?

Please share your ideas for veggies.  I'd love to hear what you have to say.

I used to be totally against change., sometimes I still am slightly stubborn.  Over the years, I've found that no matter what, God is and will always be in control.  I like these new seasons of unknown.  When I let God take the reigns I find the flowers bloom brighter than what I could have grown on my own.

Blessings to you all and may you find your New Year Filled with Gods' Presence in Jesus Mighty name...AMEN

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More Gardening Questions..
Saturday, October 25, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

Hi Everyone!

This year we had our first SMALL garden plot here at our rental townhome. When we finally get our home, we'll be tilling away and starting a Victory Garden plan. I haven't really read any books on gardening. I've just been doing it as we go. Haven't had too bad of a season and actually brought in MANY tomatoes, cucumbers and I just brought in our herbs for the winter so I could continue cooking with my herbs.

My question is planting When planting Veggies, do I have to have a specified place for each veggie. Meaning are there certain veggies that don't grow well next to one another?

I hear there are summer and fall gardens.  Can anyone give me information on them both.  Are certain veggies grown during different times?  Please ellaborate if you can for me.

I live in Central NY and would like to know what would be good veggies to grow here. I'm looking at the following: 

Bok Choy
Cabbages
Carrots 
Lettuce: romain, and other leafy lettuces 
potatoes: red and sweet 
Rutabagas 
beets 
spinach 
broccoli 
cauliflower 
zucchini 
squash 
tomatoes: sweet 100's (Did excellent this year for us) and a few other heirloom types. 
cucumbers 
Swiss Chard 
Collards 
Try my hand at corn 
peppers 
Garlic 
blueberries 
raspberries 
strawberries 
grapes 
melons 
and herbs 

 I  would absolutely LOVE to plant a dwarf apple, dwarf peach, dwarf pear and dwarf plum tree. I've heard that they don't need a second tree to pollinate and produce the fruit. Is it silly to think I can have all those fruit trees in a modest amount of land in our backyard? 

Any books on making  and maintaining an organic garden with heirloom seeds?

Thanks so much for your comments. I could really use them.

Rebekah

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Help! I need YOUR help figuring out vegetable seed prices for Heirlooms.
Saturday, October 18, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

I've been researching more and more about Victory Gardens. Right now we're living in a townhome and plan to move into our own home sometime next spring/summer/fall. I know by then, it will be too late to plant and harvest, BUT, I'm thinking ahead so we have seeds to plant the following year. This past year, we planted Sweet 100's, burpless cuces, lettuce (which was stollen by a critter) green bell peppers, thyme, rosemary, and basil.  I'm used to buying plants at our local greenhouse already somewhat grown. I then stick them in fertile ground and keep up with them until harvest season.

NOW, with the economy the way it is, the unknown of inflation, doing my best to use the money we have not only to save, but purchase things we may need for future use while we can still afford them at the prices their at,  I've been wondering if we should be investing in seeds to plant our own victory garden of heirloom seeds and then collecting the seedlings for the following years to come.

 I've found a site of heirlooms that has 76 seed packets of a whole lot of vegetables and seed variety. The price however, looks pretty steep though.

I was wondering if those of you who purchase and raise crops from seedlings, could let me know your thought on the price. Is this reasonable for 76 seed packets and the variety of veggies? Take a look at the VICTORY GARDEN list/price and let me know what you think please.

Thank You dear friends!

Rebekah

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Unique Henhouse
Saturday, September 13, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

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*** Is there Country in New York? ***
Monday, September 8, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

When People think of New York State, they think New York City. When someone asks where I'm from and I mention I'm from New York, their assumption is I'm from the Big Apple. The City that Never Sleeps. That I have no idea how to drive a car, am guilty by association as an elitist or Self-Centered Money-hungry love-to-work baracooda that lives for runway clothes or broadway.

What people are most surprised at, is New York is built around A whole lot of Forest and farmland. The Cities in NYS take up 6,241 acres. The rest is Forest Cover, which takes up 18,641 acres, Timberland that takes up 15,405 acres, Forest Reserve which also takes up 2,953, Urban Forestland that takes up only 99 acres, and finally Farmland which is 5,341 acres of New York State Land.

New York State is a wealth of beauty, especially in the fall when the leaves turn and it has SO many beautiful falls and lakes. The Adirondack Mountains is a beauty. The Daks, as the locals call it, not only holds alot of our forestland, but also some of the best lakes and islands around. Hiking, fishing, biking, skiing and just getting away from it all is why people from all over the nation come to the Daks to hide away from it all.

I'm quite fond of "The Fingerlakes". It is here, where my husband and I reside. I was born and raised in the Fingerlakes region and absolutely love the lakes, rivers, wineries, and collages of beauty that surround this area. There is truely nothing like it and the kindness of people who reside here.

Moving back here from Ohio last year, it took me some time to get back into the swing of things, The winters in Central NY tend to be pretty cold and snowy. Our first winter here last year resulted in a very light winter season. It was cold, but not a whole lot of snow fall.

Ask anyone here the year before and they would have told you about the HUGE snowstorm that pummeled the snowbelt so bad, they had to literally climb their rooftops like santa and shovel snow off them. Often-times being careful not to get too excited and jump the snow below, even though it was high and billowy, it was still hard to the ground.

I'm proud of where I was born and beauty that surrounds me each day. Even when winter comes and many animals and living plants have gone to bed for the season, there is always something beautiful that engulfs each season here in Central, Upstate and Downstate New York, that if we lived anywhere else, we wouldn't be able to enjoy just how great Gods creation really is and how as Ecclesiastes 3 puts it, there is a time and season over everything under heaven.

Blessings dear Friends!



Rebekah

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***Chickens ***
Friday, September 5, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

Robert E. Lee had a chicken he took with him the whole time the Civil War was going.  Many a soldiers tried to cook the chicken, but he managed to rescue it saying, “Boiling the hen will give us one fine meal, but keeping her alive will feed us every day.”

So, as I said, not only are we preparing to buy a home, we'd like one with land so we can have our chickens.  Today I emailed our county law division and asked them stipulations pertaining to keeping hens and the local zoning laws pertaining to the subject.  I am awaiting for more information so we can keep in mind those stipulation while we look.

In the meantime, as you may have already noticed, I'm looking at both city coops and plans for regular ones.  I have an idea of what I'd like for a bigger one if we find a place in the country. I'll share those plans later.  Right now, I'm picking out which chickens we'll order once we move.

Let me just say that there are lots and lots of chickens out there.  Bantams which are smaller in size and tend to lay eggs with more yolk than whites, then there are the common chickens, the specialty and the Cochins which have the cute feathered feet but have a reputation for being poor layers (please, all jokes aside here, I'm having a chicken breed crisis).  There are crested breeds with feathered crowns and heavy breeds which are used for meat. 

With all those breeds, I felt more and more confused at choosing exactly which ones would work for our area with cold Northeastern snow and wind.  Ones that were well mannered, lay eggs quite often, and are good setters.  (now I'm starting to sound like a singles add.haha)

Murray McMurray is a hatchary with good, healthy chickens.  Not only do they sell chickens, but other game birds like turkeys, ducks, geese. Lets not forget about pheasants, quail, peacocks, and guineas.  If your ever in the market, I HIGHLY recommend Murray McMurray at www.mcmurrayhatchery.com/index.html

One decision I do know, we are looking for brown egg layers.  So, that trims the list down a bit. The best part of Murray McMurray is they have "assortment" options for different breeds and egg colors.  So we have now decided to order the BROWN EGG LAYERS ASSORTMENT.

How easy was that?  We know we wanted brown egg layers, we just weren't sure which ones to choose because we've never had any of them.  Choosing the assortment, Murray McMurray throws in an assortment and you'll only know once they get to you which breed they are.  I like that alot because we don't have to choose just one breed, but can see which ones we really prefer for our next order. In the Brown Egg Assortment, they guarantee 5 of the following breeds:

Black Australorps; Lt. Brahmas; Dark Cornish; Black and White Giants; Buff and White Orpingtons; New Hampshire, Rhode Island Reds, Barred, White, Partridge, Buff Rocks;Deleware, Sussex, Turkens; White, Silver Laced, & Columbian Wyandottes, Red Star and Black Star.

A couple other breeds we were introduced to from our homestead friends, and plan to also purchase are Araucana and Dominique Chickens.  They produce green and blue eggs.  Our friends called them "easter eggs".  They're both pretty friendly and by exeperience with our friends when we were there, they are pretty good natured and do well in the winter months.  Check out a Youtube video above that I found on the breed.

How exciting to have made our choices.  We hope to introduce them late summer, early fall when we close on a home of our own. Woohoo!

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***The Eglu*** A Traveling Chicken Coop
Thursday, September 4, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

So I've been searching for plans for chicken coops.  In our search for a home here in NYS, I'm trying to keep in mind we'd like some land in the country to have chickens, goats, etc.  Sounds silly to those of you who know doug and I in real life, BUT we've always had this dream.

Thing is, he works in the city limits and finding a small homestead or a home on a small piece of land within our budget, has proved to nothing more than trying.

We won't let that get us down though.  If the good Lord wants us in the city limits, then we should plan accordingly.  Some cities allow chickens.  In fact, some allow chickens, just not the loud roosters within the city limits.

With that in mind, I've been looking for regular chicken coop plans AND small city type chicken runners that can move.  You can imagine my surprise when I found a site by OMLET that sells Eglu's.  Yup, IGLOOS for chickens are made from energy efficient polymers using modern construction techniques and at the end of its life it can be 100% recycled. 

Take a Look at their Brochure online in PDF

Above you'll see a guide to keeping chickens. The little girl is SO CUTE and the eglu is in the picture.  I just found the little girl to be so precious that I had to post this.

My one true concern with this is in the harsh Upstate NY winters, how the chickens would get on and not freeze to death.

This is where you avid homesteaders come in.  What do you think?  Have any ideas on what to do in the wintertimes?  Have any other ideas or plans?  How bout plans for bigger size coops if we do find a home with some land?

Let me know your experience and feel free to comment.

Blessings!

Rebekah

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***Expedition REBEKAH Style***
Monday, July 28, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

THIS, is Mr. Thinker.  He looks REAL enthused doesn't he?  It's another excursion I got him into and yet, it wasn't good enough.  I had to get my mother involoved in my schemes as well.  I'm known for coming up with fun and exciting adventures and won't tell a soul about them until we get there.  THIS TIME though, I warned the both of them that we'd be going to a delightful outing to pick berries.  They had warning, LOTS of warning!

Hunny, the berries won't hurt you dear, we need to pick up speed so we can get to the blueberries before it storms.  Eww, Ouchie, that one must have hurt alittle.  Sorry dear! 

The above picture is Mr. Thinker enjoying the wide open spaces of Black Raspberry picking while smelling a deep, STRONG scent of Cow Manure.  One CANNOT grow a good harvest of berries without fertile soil ya know!Oh!  Look what I found!!!  Look, Hurry everyone!!  As doug rushes over thinking I've hurt myself and mom gathers her quart of berries being VERY careful not to drop the big ones she's been picking. 

I found a Robins nest I said, Isn't it beautiful?!  Yes, but could you have been a bit more calm about it Mr. Thinker says as my mother giggles knowing the littlest things excite me.

Here they are, Black Raspberries.  Your probably wondering why I'm showing just the raspberry bushes with no picture of mom and I insight.  Well, As I was trying to take a picture undetected, of my moms natural berry-picking state, she caught me and dropped ALL the HUGE berries it took her over an hour to find.  At that moment, I dropped the camera to help.  This is the way my mother gets out of picture taking time.

Our blueberry excursion got us two quarts and then lightening came in our picking field.  We ran for the car and left. No pictures, but I'll never forget it.  Neither will my husband and mother.

Another day excursion with Rebekah!  Expect the unexpected.  If you thought you were going one direction, I'll take you on a whole new expedition in another direction.  It's just the way I am, and I love EVERY minute of it!

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***Our Small Garden***
Friday, July 25, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

What your seeing is a Lasagne Garden made with Newspapers over grass, then petemoss, directly topped with manuere and soil, THEN repeated again with petemoss, manure and soil until I got the desired height.

Sweet 100's are producing 100's of little tomatoes now while our peppers are coming along nicely.  Cuces are growing up the vine like mad ...but the ONE issue we're having.  See the bald spot in the center of the garden?...that's SUPPOSED to be all my different kinds of lettuce.  WELL, Edward, the cute but pesky woodchuck (groundhog) has eaten them to stubs.  I have NO LETTUCE.

SO, I'm trying to figure out how to deal with this critter.  He's SMART.  We put a plastic bag over them one night and Edward (the woodchuck) pulled it off.  I can't believe I've named him, I'm not close to him now that he's wripped my dream of making a FULL SALAD directly from my garden.  Now I have to depend on the local farmers market, which isn't so bad because we're supporting them, but I wanted the good feeling of having grown my own lettuce.

So I'm trying to figure out what to do for next years gardening season. Nip this situation in the bud.

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***Save plants, trees and shrubs and get a Great Deal!***
Friday, February 15, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

Save plants, trees and shrubs and get a Great Deal!

Every year millions of healthy high-quality plants go unsold and are destroyed.  

         ~ They go to the dump,

         ~ They get plowed under,

          ~They get burned or buried.

 It's a HUGE WASTE!!

They come from the very same growers that supply many of the most famous garden catalogs.

Here's a site that saves these plants and distributes them for free but only asks a 6.95 processing and shipping fee.  There are Perennials, Herbs, shrubs and tree's available.  What a great price and we'd be saving these plants from destruction.  You will find the link below: 

http://www.freetreesandplants.com/

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A Simple Womans Cannery *** Filled with delightful recipes and How To's
Wednesday, January 30, 2008

Posted in Serenity Garden

I just found the most wonderful Canning Blog here in our community and upon permission from the blogger for those who'd like to copy, I'm doing so, so that I may try the following recipes in the Harvest Season.

Please By all means stop by and check out A Simple Womans Cannery By Peggy and let her know what a lovely Job she's doing teaching those like me & you how to can or maybe just giving extra tips to you pro's out there!!.

I am so pleased with our HSB community.  What a blessing to share with one another the gifts we are blessed with!

Peggy's blue Ribbon Relish

 lbs of cucumbers
6 lg. onions
3 green peppers
2 cups vinegar
1 tsp. celery seed
1 tsp. mustard seed
3 sweet peppers (red)
1 fourth cup salt
2 cups brown sugar
1 tsp. turmeric

Pare cucumbers, cut and discard seed and pulp. Dice the firm white inner rind. Peel and dice onions. Cut peppers and remove seeds, dice and combine vegetables. Stir in salt. Let mixture stand overnight. Then, drain and rinse in cold water. Drain again. Combine sugars, vinegar, turmeric, celery and mustard seeks. Add to vegetables mixture. Cook slowly until cucumber cubes are transparent, not mushy, about 20 min. Seal at once in jars, covering well with liquid.  Jar and process for 10 min. long enough to seal.

Aren't these two recipes delightful for canning?  She has also posted information on "How To" on canning.  So if your new to canning, please follow the link above and learn along with me so we can Put foods by this Harvest Season!  Aren't you just SO excited?! 

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This is what it looked like ...
Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Posted in Serenity Garden

On Monday

The Crick is behind the fence.  We love our ducks that fly over to visit and our Christmas Goose that Honks shown below our Christmas Goose and his Canadian friends.

Our mound of snow

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